Specimen containers are used in laboratory environments for storing and transporting specimens to be tested. Specimen containers come in a variety of sizes depending on the characteristics or the amount of a specimen needing to be stored or transported. Industry standards may also dictate the type of container to be used for transporting a particular specimen.
Multiple sizes of specimen containers may be delivered to a laboratory for specimen testing. The containers are typically sealed with a screw-on container cap. Therefore, testing specimens is typically a time-consuming and labour-intensive process, requiring removal of the cap, extraction of a specimen sample from the container, and re-installation of the cap.
Hogan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,632) describes a screw cap opener for jars having screw caps or lids thereon. The cap opener consists of a plastic holder that has a pair of nickel-plated metal blades that are mounted to the holder to form a V-shaped gripping structure. The V-shaped configuration allows jar lids of various sizes to be accommodated.
Hardman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,251) describes an automatic jar opener comprising a top retainer that holds the jar cap, and a bottom jar retainer that holds the jar. The bottom jar retainer includes substantially horizontal clamps that are movable in a horizontal plane between an open position and a clamping position. A vertical drive adjusts the vertical position of the bottom jar retainer relative to the top jar retainer. A twisting force is applied to the jar cap by the top jar retainer while the bottom jar retainer holds the jar.
Tremblay (U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,965) describes a semi-automatic jar opener comprising an upper turntable and a lower turntable. The upper and lower turntables are each provided with a pair of opposing jaws that are coupled to a central gear via respective rack elements. A jar is inserted between the upper and lower turntables, and the upper turntable is brought against the jar cover. A motor coupled to the lower turntable causes the lower turntable to rotate, thereby causing the jar and upper turntable to rotate. Rotation of the turntables causes the jaws of the upper turntable to move radially inwards towards the jar cover, and the jaws of the lower turntable to move radially inwards towards the jar. Further rotation of the jar cover is prevented when the jaws of the upper turntable engage the jar cover, thereby causing the lower turntable to unscrew the jar from the jar cover.
Wu (U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,194) describes a jar/bottle opener having a housing, a first pair of opposed jaws for gripping a jar or bottle and a second pair of opposed jaws for gripping a jar or bottle closure. A driven shaft operates the first and second jaws and turns the second jaws relative to the first jaws.